OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper vowed Monday his government will not approve oil pipelines unless they fulfil the country’s “economic interests” and meet the “highest standards” of environmental protection.

Harper made the comment at an event in Vancouver sponsored by the city’s board of trade where two environmental protesters carrying signs managed to come within feet of the prime minister as he sat on stage.

The protesters, one of whom held a sign saying “Climate justice now,” were hustled away by security officials and Harper reached for a drink of water as he prepared to answer questions from board of trade president Iain Black.

“I’d like to take a minute and have some folks removed from the stage,” said Black.

“It wouldn’t be B.C. without it,” Harper said.

Then, during a 30-minute question and answer session with Black, Harper painted a rosy picture of what could lie ahead for Canada. Among his predictions:

– The economy in 2014 could improve over past years, as Europe’s economic crisis dips to a “trough” and the United States experiences economic growth. Canada’s economic long-term picture looks “optimistic.”

– The federal deficit, thanks to economic growth and budget cuts, will be eliminated by 2015.

– The Canada-Europe free trade deal reached last year has the potential to significantly boost the Canadian economy.

– First Nations will have an unprecedented opportunity to participate in resource development projects that create jobs and bring aboriginal communities into the “mainstream” of the Canadian economy.

Nonetheless, Monday’s security breach involving protesters highlighted what is expected to be a year filled with contentious issues for the prime minister.

As it heads into 2014, Harper’s government faces some tough political choices that could inspire strong opposition in British Columbia among politicians, environmentalists and aboriginals.

At the top of the list is whether to approve the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline, which would carry crude from Alberta to the B.C. port of Kitimat, where it would be placed on oil tankers and then brought to foreign markets.

Harper declined to specifically discuss that project, because it was given the regulatory green light by the National Energy Board in December and the federal cabinet must now decide in coming months whether to also give it clearance.

But the prime minister did insist that whenever his government reviews proposals for resource development projects, it follows “the best scientific and expert advise available.”

“Our government has committed to making sure that we have rigorous systems of pipeline safety, rigorous systems of marine protection and that we fully respect our constitutional duties to consult with aboriginal communities,” said Harper.

“We will do all of these things. And we will not approve projects unless they are not only in our economic interests, but as said, they meet the highest standards of environmental protection.”

Harper said there’s a reason that his government is keen to delve into various experts’ reports that have been submitted about pipeline safety.

“I mean it, we want to make sure that these kinds of projects are not just economically viable and give us lots of economic prosperity. We want to make sure that they are environmentally safe. And we want to make sure that every measure is taken to prevent any kind of serious environmental threat or other kind of disaster. And in the hopefully rare cases where those happen, that there are adequate responses.”

The proposed $8-billion Northern Gateway pipeline is far from a sure thing — even if it receives the blessing of the federal cabinet. It will likely face court challenges from First Nations and political opposition within the province might rise. In Ottawa, federal NDP leader Tom Mulcair has predicted the pipeline will never be built.

On Monday, while insisting he could not publicly pass judgment on Northern Gateway, Harper spoke strongly about the need to get Alberta oil to foreign markets.

He said Canada sells about 99 per cent of its “energy” to one country — the U.S. — and it’s important to find other customers.

“In an era where there is energy demand all over the world, where the energy industry has been the engine of much of Canada’s economic growth and also at a time where for various reasons American demand for energy may fall in the near term, it is without a doubt in the country’s interests that we diversify our markets for energy resources.”

Meanwhile, Harper once again touted the benefits of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta to the U.S. Gulf Coast.

U.S. President Barack Obama has yet to give the project the green light; Harper said the long-awaited decision has been “punted” by Obama.

Last fall, Harper said he won’t take “no” for an answer from the Obama administration and that the pipeline will eventually be built.

“I am confident that in due course — I can’t put a timeline on that — the project will one way or another proceed,” he said Monday.

Mark Kennedy arrived on Parliament Hill in 1988 as an Ottawa Citizen political reporter and has covered eight federal election campaigns. He won a National Newspaper Award for enterprise reporting and... read more spent a decade specializing in health-care coverage. He is currently parliamentary bureau chief at The Ottawa Citizen.View author's profile